Pieces of Me

Five

Teka, select all, word count... yahoo! 4732 words! O ha? O ha? Yes yes yes I got my writing mojo back! May pakinabang na ulit ang mundo sayo, self! Productive member of the society ka na ulet! Impromptu dance par--- ay o sige isang malaking paano? KEBS!! Pwede pa rin yan! STATIONARY RUNNING MAN!

Bbbzzzzzzt.

"PASOK! Bukas yan!"

Bbbzzzzzzt.

Bingi lang? Panira ng momentum. I'm on a roll here! Shet ang witty ko! Sayang ako lang nakarinig. Buti gets ko sarili kong joke.

Bbbzzzzzzt.

"I said it's o---"

Bbbzzzzzzt.

"Which part ba of it's open do you not under--- holy shit... Dangwa, ikaw ba yan?"

"Maine?"

"RJ!?! Paano? Ano? Bakit?"

"Can I come in first?"

"Can you even see where you're going?"

"No, not really."

"Three steps forward, turn to your right, drop the flowers. There you go. Kaninong burol mo ninenok yang mga bulaklak?"

"Ha?! Bakit? Do they look like flowers for a wake? Shit."

Jusko pogi. Default setting mo talaga ang cute ano? Ay at nag-pout pa. Umayos ka baka hindi ako makapagpigil.

"I was joking, RJ. Hindi ka pa rin sanay sa humor ko? Anyway, are those flowers for me?"

"Yes."

Oh god stop pouting! STAHP! I KENNAT! Sige Nicomaine, internal kemerut pa. Mamaya madulas ka na naman. Uy si pogi tahimik. Parang may mali. Parang---

"Maine, we need to talk."

No. Not again.

~•~•~•~

"Menggay. Huy. Kanina ka pa tulala dyan. What's wrong? Talk to me."

"Hmmm? Ay sorry, Ate. Was just trying to work out the next chapter of my book. Alam mo naman ako when I start writing."

"How's your PT coming along? Three weeks na ah. I was hoping by this time at least naka-crutches ka na. At least dito sa place mo. Yung head ng wellness center told me that you were making progress pero medyo mabagal nga lang. Masyado bang mahirap?"

"Pabigat na ba ko, Ate? Pwede namang ipa-cancel yung PT. I can manage on my own. A lot of people in wheelchairs can live full normal lives. Maybe talagang I can't gain my full mobility back. There's nothing wrong with that. Hindi niyo naman na kailangang i-disrupt yung schedules niyo just to babysit me. I'm a grown woman. I don't need people hovering over me 24/7."

"Saan galing yang hugot mo? Nobody is forcing you to walk unassisted again or to heal and get better faster. Do it at your own pace kung gusto mo. Ang sakin lang naman, kilala kita Menggay. I know you're itching to gain your old life back. I know you miss the freedom of escaping and taking random roadtrips or just driving yourself around. Ano bang problema bakit mukha ka na namang sinampalukang ampalaya?"

"Ang harsh. Guwapo ng asawa mo eh no?"

"Ako may asawa. May Matti. Ikaw?"

"Bakit nga hindi si Coleen ang bumisita sakin today?"

"Kasi minsan kelangan mo ng babatok sayo. Otherwise buong buhay kang magmumukmok dito. Sasabihin mo ba problema mo o gusto mong ituloy magdurugan tayong dalawa? Pili! Ano?"